1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video game system constituted in order to enjoy an operation in time with music.
2. Description of Relevant Art
There are commercially available game systems which can be played by a game player to add sound effects such as DJ (Disc Jockey) sounds or an ad-lib musical performance to music that is performed as BGM (background music), so that the game player can enjoy a performance of the music. For example, reference should be made to the music simulation game xe2x80x9cHiphopmaniaxe2x80x9d manufactured and sold by Konami Co., Ltd.
In order to improve a musical performance technique, it is necessary to repeat practice of the same piece of music, and particularly it is important to repeatedly practice a hard portion of the music. There is no exception in this point even for the above-mentioned game systems. Therefore, it should be examined to provide a practice mode which is suitable for a player.
However, in the conventional game systems, only a mode where degree of difficulty is set to especially low, or a mode for displaying suitable advice during a game is provided for practice to allow the player to understand a method for progressing a game, a rule or an operating method thereof. Such practice modes do not serve the purpose of repeatedly practicing one piece of music.
The present invention has been achieved with such points in view. It therefore is an object of the invention particularly to provide a game system which variously facilitates a repetitive practice of one piece of music.
In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a game system comprising: a storage device which stores data for reproducing music and data which define a performing procedure corresponding to the music; an operation input device for receiving an operation of a player; a reproduction device for reproducing the music based on the data for reproducing the music; a performing operation instructing device for instructing the player to do performing operations associated with reproduction of the music onto the operation input device based on the data which define the performing procedure; a practice range setting device for setting a practice range on at least one portion of the music according to an instruction from the player; and a practice instructing device for instructing the player to practice the performing operations included in the practice range based on data corresponding to the practice range set through the practice range setting device in the data which define the performing procedure.
According to the first aspect, it is possible to set the practice range in one portion of the music so that the performing operations included in this range can be practiced. Therefore, the invention is convenient when the game player wishes to intensively practice a hard portion of the music or the like.
The game system may comprise a repetition setting device for setting as to whether or not a sequence of the performing operations included in the practice range is to be repeatedly practiced, and when a repetition of the sequence of the performing operations is set, the practice instructing device repeatedly may instruct the sequence of the performing operations corresponding to the practice range. In this case, since the performing operations relating to the practice range are instructed repeatedly, a desired portion of the piece of music can be practiced repeatedly.
The game system may comprise a blank setting device for setting blank time in case that the sequence of the performing operations included in the practice range is repeatedly instructed, and the practice instructing device may change an interval from an end of each sequence of the performing operations to a start of a next sequence of the performing operations based on the blank time set by the blank set device. In this case, the time interval when the practice is repeated can be adjusted according to player""s preference.
The game system may comprise a tempo setting device for setting a tempo with which the practice instructing device instructs the performance operations in accordance with an instruction from a player, and the practice instructing device may change the tempo with which the performing operations are instructed based on a set result by the tempo setting device. According to this configuration, various kinds of practices can be made. For example, the player can practice a hard portion of the music with checking the performing operations one by one by reducing the tempo thereof, and also can increase the tempo of an easy portion to obtain a higher technique.
The practice instructing device may instruct the performing operations with the tempo which is more slow than a tempo with which the performing operation instructing device instructs the performing operations. Therefore, as mentioned above, the player can practice with checking the performing operations one by one.
The game system may comprise an operation recording device for recording the performing operations inputted through the operation input device by the player in response to an instruction of the practice instructing device; and a replay device for replaying the recorded performing operations. According to this configuration, the practice state is reproduced so that the player can make a check as to whether the practice is good or bad.
The game system may comprise an appraisal device for appraising as to whether each of the performing operations is good or bad every time the player performs a performing operation based on a correspondence relationship between the performing operations inputted through the operation input device by the player in response to the instruction of the practice instructing device and the data which define the performing procedure; and an appraisal display device for displaying appraised results by the appraisal device to the player. In this case, the player can refer to the displayed appraisals to check as to whether each performing operation is good or bad.
The game system may comprise an appraisal device for appraising as to whether each of the performing operations is good or bad every time the player performs a performing operation based on a correspondence relationship between the performing operations inputted through the operation input device by the player in response to the instruction of the practice instructing device and the data which define the performing procedure; an operation recording device for recording the performing operations inputted through the operation input device by the player in response to the instruction of the practice instructing device, and appraised results of the performing operations by the appraisal device; and a replay device for replaying the recorded performing operations together with the appraised results thereto. According to this arrangement, since the performing operations can be reproduced together with the appraisals given thereto, the practice result can be checked more objectively.
The appraisal device may be constituted so as to appraise each of the performing operations into plural levels, and said game system may be provided with a detection device for searching data of the performing operations recorded by the operation recording device so as to detect a portion to which an appraisal of certain level is given. According to this arrangement, a portion to which the appraisal of the certain level is given is searched from the recorded performing operations and a position thereof in the music can be specified. Therefore, a portion to which a bad appraisal is given is searched for and this portion is practiced intensively. On the contrary, a portion to which a good appraisal is given is searched for and a degree of improvement of the performing operations can be checked.
The game system may comprise a reproduction setting device for setting as to whether or not the music is to be reproduced by the reproduction device according to an instruction from the player; and a reproduction halt device for halting reproduction of the music while the practice instructing device instructs the performing operations, when the reproduction of the music is negated by the reproduction setting device. According to this configuration, the reproduction of the music can be halted during the practice. When the reproduction of the music is halted, the tempo of the practice can be set without a restriction by the reproduction speed of the music.
The game system may comprise an indicator to which at least one track extending in a predetermined direction is provided, and the performing operation instructing device and the practice instructing device may display instruction marks, each of which is provided for showing operation timing of the operation input device, in the indicator based on the data which define the performing procedure in such a manner that each of the instruction marks moves along the track and reaches an operating position fixed to be set to a constant portion of the track.
According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a simple and plain operating method such that the player has only to do the performing operations according to timing when each of the instruction marks which moves within the indicator reaches the operating position. Since the operating position is fixed to a constant part of the track, it is not necessary for the player to always observe each moving indication mark.
In order to achieve the above object, a second aspect of the present invention provides a game system comprising: a storage device which stores data for reproducing music and data which define a performing procedure corresponding to the music; an operation input device for receiving an operation of a player; a reproduction range setting device for setting a reproduction range in at least one portion of the music according to an instruction from the player; an instructing device for instructing the player to do performing operations included in the reproduction range based on data corresponding to the reproduction range set by the reproduction range setting device in the data which define the performing procedure; and a tempo setting device for setting a tempo with which the instructing device instructs the performing operations in accordance with an instruction from the player, wherein the instructing device changes the tempo with which the performing operations are instructed based on a set result by the tempo setting device.
According to the second aspect, the reproduction range can be set to one portion of the music, and the tempo in the range ,for example, is reduced so that the practice can be made while the performing operations are checked one by one.
In order to achieve the above object, a third aspect of the present invention provides a game system 13. A game system, comprising: a storage device for storing data for reproducing music and data which define a direction procedure of the music; an operation input device for receiving an operation of a player; a reproduction range setting device for setting a reproduction range in at least one portion of the music according to an instruction from the player; an instructing device for instructing the player to do the performing operations included in the reproduction range based on data corresponding to the reproduction range set by the reproduction range setting device in the data which define the performing procedure; an appraisal device for appraising as to whether each of the performing operations is good or bad every time the player performs a performing operation based on a correspondence relationship between the performing operations inputted through the operation input device by the player in response to an instruction from the instructing device and the data which define the performing procedure; an operation recording device for recording the performing operations inputted through the operation input device by the player in response to the instruction of the instructing device and appraised results of the performing operations by the appraisal device; and a replay device for replaying the recorded performing operations together with the appraised results thereto.
According to the third aspect, as described in the above, since the performing operations can be reproduced together with the appraisals given thereto, the player can appraise the performing operations more objectively.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium which stores data for reproducing music, data which define a performing procedure corresponding to the music and a program for executing a predetermined music performance game based on the data, said data and program being readable by a computer, wherein said program is constituted to allow the computer to execute the steps of: setting a reproduction range in at least one portion of the music according to an instruction from a player; and instructing the player to do performing operations included in the reproduction range based on data corresponding to the set reproduction range in the data which define the performing procedure.
According to the fourth aspect, when the program and the data recorded on the storage medium are read by the computer, the game system which is suitable for the above first aspect can be provided.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium which stores data for reproducing music, data which define a performing procedure corresponding to the music and a program for executing a predetermined music performance game based on the data, said data and program being readable by a computer, wherein said program is constituted to allow the computer to execute the steps of: setting a reproduction range in at least one portion of the music according to an instruction from a player; instructing the player to do performing operations included in the reproduction range based on data corresponding to the set reproduction range in the data which define the performing procedure; and setting a tempo with which the performing operations are instructed in accordance with an instruction from the player, an actual tempo with which the performing operations are practically instructed being changed based on the set tempo.
According to the fifth aspect, when the program and the data recorded on the storage medium are read by the computer, the game system which is suitable particularly for the second aspect can be provided.
According to sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium which stores data for reproducing music, data which define a performing procedure corresponding to the music and a program for executing a predetermined music performance game based on the data, said data and program being readable by a computer, wherein said program is constituted to allow the computer to execute the steps of: setting a reproduction range in at least one portion of the music according to an instruction from a player; instructing the player to do performing operations included in the reproduction range based on data corresponding to the set reproduction range in the data which define the performing procedure; appraising as to whether each of the performing operations is good or bad every time the player performs a performing operation based on a correspondence relationship between the performing operations inputted through an operation input device of a game system by the player in response to an instruction issued in said step of instructing and the data which define the performing procedure; recording the performing operations inputted by the player in response to the instruction issued in said step of instructing and appraised results given to each of the performing operations; and replaying the recorded performing operations together with the appraised results given to each of the performing operations.
According to the sixth aspect, when the program and the data recorded on the storage medium are read by the computer, the game system which is suitable particularly for the third aspect can be provided.